Game of Thrones: The Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon

However, as Viserys carefully examined the area with his torch in hand, he also made an unexpected discovery that differed from the previous levels: he found many simple murals on the walls on both sides of the fourth underground level of the labyrinth.

Call ~

The torchlight had dimmed considerably and flickered slightly, whether from the thinning oxygen in the underground world or some other reason, it was unclear.

Viserys illuminated the murals on the wall and saw a group of humanoid creatures, whether dressed in fur or naturally hairy, standing on the ground gazing up at the sky.

The second mural then shows the dark sky being illuminated, with objects resembling meteorites streaking across the sky and falling with countless long tails. The group of hairy humanoid creatures below are terrified, and their panic is depicted in the mural.

The third mural depicts a violent explosion. Many years ago, a meteor shower fell from the sky, and one of them landed on what is now Lorasorn Island. Lorasorn Island was probably much larger than it is now, because in the mural, the island shrank by more than half in an instant after the meteorite hit, and a large number of hairy creatures died.

"This is truly a disaster that has struck from the sky."

Viserys was at a loss for words upon seeing this. People from ancient times had extremely poor ability to withstand disasters; a harsh winter or a drought could lead to the extinction of a race. He then looked at the fourth mural, and Viserys's eyes suddenly narrowed upon seeing it.

"This is..."

The fourth mural depicts a scene from many years after the meteorite crashed on Lorasorn Island. The hairy people, who had suffered a major blow, seemed to have rallied. In the mural, they built an altar on the fourth level of an underground labyrinth, and on the altar was a pure black object, which looked like a black stone. Viserys couldn't tell exactly what it was.

This group of hairy people densely covered all four levels of the underground labyrinth, kowtowing to the altar deep underground and the black stone enshrined on it.

Chapter 862 Discovery of the Black Stone

"The labyrinth builders suffered heavy losses after a meteorite impact, and subsequently believed it to be divine punishment, so they built an altar to pray for blessings?"

Viserys couldn't help but have this association come to mind when he saw this last mural, because it's hard not to have such an association from the very first mural to the present.

However, the content depicted in the last mural is undeniably chilling.

This was clearly very similar to what Viserys was experiencing. He had just started from the first level when he saw a scattered giant skeleton. Then there were a few more on the second level, and the third level became much denser, with even human skeletons appearing. It was clear that the human explorers had only gone down to the third level at most. They knew about the existence of the fourth level, but they died here before they could go any further.

Viserys is now in the deepest level, a place no expedition has ever reached. According to the murals carved by these hairy giants, they built the altar here. It is highly likely that during a ceremony recorded in the murals, all the labyrinth builders suddenly died, becoming their swan song.

Viserys then held up his torch and shone it forward once more, but the wall in front of him was now empty, with no other murals.

It seems that this is indeed the last message these hairy giants left for the world.

"So, the altar is just ahead?"

Viserys then waved his torch across the nearby walls, and finding no other murals, turned his gaze to the deep darkness in the distance.

According to the information provided by the last mural, the altar built by the labyrinth builders is located at the deepest part of the fourth level.

Viserys continued deeper into the underground labyrinth, his feet crunching over the bones of the labyrinth's builders.

Because countless years have passed, these bones are nearly extinct. They have only been able to maintain their shape because the temperature and humidity inside the underground palace are relatively stable and there is no wind or sun. However, they will turn into powder at the slightest touch.

Kaka-

Only Viserys's footsteps echoed within the dungeon. He had crushed countless bones along the way, and he held a torch to illuminate his path.

"arrive."

After an unknown amount of time, Viserys finally paused slightly and stood still.

For now, before him stood an ancient altar constructed of intricately carved massive stones, much like the labyrinth outside.

"This is the altar."

Viserys stood still, holding a torch that was half-burnt, and glanced at the altar.

It must be said that compared to the magnificent labyrinth above ground, this altar appears rather simple and hastily constructed. For ancient civilizations, their knowledge was relatively limited, and they attributed everything to supernatural forces. Therefore, the most common thing that civilizations did at that time was to build altars and offer sacrifices, such as blood offerings or even the lives of their people.

It seems that the meteorite fall terrified the labyrinth builders, so they hastily built altars to offer sacrifices and pray for the disaster to pass. However, they did not expect that this sacrifice would directly lead to the extinction of their entire race.

However, whether it was Viserys's imagination or not, because the torchlight had dimmed, it could only dispel the darkness around him. Therefore, Viserys could not see the entire altar. Except for the area he could see, the rest was shrouded in darkness.

Viserys then crouched down and observed carefully. He could see some intricate symbols on these exquisitely carved megaliths. These symbols of the labyrinth builders were somewhat similar to ancient languages, but not exactly the same.

"Is this... a jinx?"

"Or disaster?"

Viserys studied the language carefully for a long time but still couldn't recognize it. Although he had learned the ancient language from the giants, he didn't know the symbols in it, because even the giants themselves couldn't write them, they could only speak them.

However, judging from these simple ancient symbols, these labyrinth builders seem to have an inexplicable connection with the giants of Westeros.

The silver-haired young man squatted in front of the altar, holding a torch and studying the ancient characters on it. The path he had come from was still completely dark, without a single ray of light, utterly silent, as if there had never been a path at all.

Viserys gently stroked the giant stone that formed the altar, his eyes sweeping across the surrounding darkness. Although he didn't show it on his face, as he approached the altar, the unease he had been vaguely sensing intensified.

It really felt as if someone was watching him from the shadows, and he felt even colder.

Viserys then turned to look at the top of the altar. Although the torchlight made it difficult to see clearly, he could vaguely make out something on it.

"It should be that indistinct black thing on the mural."

Viserys felt a slight sense of unease. Although he appeared bold and fearless, having ventured alone into the fourth level of the underground palace, he was actually more cautious than anyone else.

If he's not mistaken, this black thing is very likely the culprit that led to the annihilation of the entire race of labyrinth builders.

Viserys stepped onto the altar's steps, which had seven tiers. As he ascended to the top tier, the light from his torch allowed him to see a black object placed at the heart of the altar.

"This is... a black stone?"

Viserys' heart skipped a beat when he saw that the altar the labyrinth builders had erected was nothing more than a black stone.

He didn't react at first, but then he remembered in the next second.

He's seen this before!

Viserys once stood before the bottomless pit north of the Wall, where the Old Gods suppressed the other gods. Through the Old Gods' power, he traveled back in time and saw that after he left the Wall, the White Walkers killed the Old Gods. Then, one of the White Walkers entered the bottomless pit. After an unknown amount of time, the White Walker emerged from it, holding a black stone in his hand.

This black stone is different from other black stones, such as those used to build Dragonstone and repair the Great Wall. Its texture is somewhat oily and seems to absorb light, even human vision.

Viserys now held a torch, shining it on the black stone, but there was absolutely no reflection; it seemed as if all the light had been absorbed by it.

Chapter 863 Take Away

"This stone must be hiding a crucial secret!"

Viserys stared at the oily black stone, about the size of a human head, and his heart even began to race slightly.

He believed that the stone must contain a secret, perhaps the key to unlocking the mysteries of the world, after he saw a White Walker bring it out of the bottomless pit.

However, the oily black stone disappeared without a trace after being taken to the Land of Eternal Winter by the White Walker, and Viserys never expected to encounter such a black stone again here.

Viserys reached out and grabbed the oily black stone, wanting to pick it up and examine it. However, the moment he touched it, he felt as if he had been electrocuted, and his hand recoiled sharply. The black stone was so cold that it made him hesitate.

But when Viserys reached out and picked up the stone again, the coldness seemed to disappear, as if it were an illusion.

This stone is quite heavy, about the size of a human head. An ordinary person would likely be unable to lift it, and Viserys also felt a bit heavy in his hands. This is enough to show that it is not an ordinary stone. Its density is far greater than that of other stones, and it is even uncertain whether it is a stone at all.

However, apart from that, Viserys saw nothing else particularly special about the stone.

"Its surface is very smooth and delicate, as if it has been polished."

Viserys examined the oily black stone by the light of his torch, but time was of the essence. He could only glance at it briefly and couldn't discern anything unusual. He would have to wait until he returned to a quiet place to study it more carefully.

"Meteorite".

"altar."

"The White Walkers."

Based on the information Viserys currently has, the White Walkers seem to have a great interest in this oily black stone. And from the murals carved by the labyrinth builders, we can see that a meteor shower fell from the sky many years ago. It is unknown whether this oily black stone fell from the sky at that time.

Viserys then looked around but couldn't find anything to wrap around the head-sized, oily black stone. So he simply tore off a piece of his clothing, wrapped the stone around it, and held it in his arms.

After taking the mysterious oily black stone, Viserys continued to wander around the fourth level of the dungeon with a torch in hand. Finding no other valuable clues, he began to climb upwards and leave the dungeon.

The descent from top to bottom took some time because he was constantly observing the path, but the ascent from bottom to top went smoothly. Viserys quickly emerged from the entrance of the dungeon and saw the long night outside once more.

Meanwhile, Bellerion, who was recovering from his injuries, lay in the ruins of the labyrinth licking his gradually healing wounds. The black dragon's recovery speed was extremely fast, not only because the dragon's physique was stronger, but also because of the bond he had with Viserys due to the black mist.

Viserys's divinely bestowed 'golden finger' seems to possess a magical power, and all those who receive this power through Viserys will develop a special bond with him.

In short, they received comprehensive enhancements, became physically stronger, reacted faster, and had greater mental focus, but they were controlled by Viserys, who could even know what they were thinking.

Moreover, this information transmission is one-way, like a pyramid that can only go from bottom to top; these people will not know what Viserys is thinking.

Viserys was gone for half a day, then returned carrying a heavy bundle. The black dragon, who was recovering from its injuries, was still lazily licking its wounds, but then seemed to sense something.

Call ~

Bellerion suddenly snorted white mist from his nostrils, raised his head slightly, stared at the package in Viserys's hand, and then let out a low growl.

"Ho..."

Bellerion was warning Viserys that what he was holding was very dangerous, and Viserys received the warning through telepathy. Although he remained outwardly calm, he was inwardly slightly alarmed.

Dragons are the most magic-sensitive creatures in the world, and they will notice the slightest movement. However, Balerion showed a great deal of fear when faced with the oily black stone in Viserys's hand, even more so than when he first met the Three-Eyed Raven or the Night King.

"Is this a magical item?"

When Viserys first held the black stone, he didn't sense the slightest magical aura from it. However, Bellerion didn't think so. It saw a strong magical fluctuation from it and considered this power to be extremely 'evil,' wanting to destroy it.

Fire and cold are eternal enemies; dragonfire can destroy them.

"Can this oily black stone be destroyed?"

"I see."

The silver-haired youth received a message from his partner via telepathy, and his mind raced. However, he nodded and spoke afterward.

"But we still need to bring it back and unravel its mysteries."

Viserys wanted to take the evil black stone back, which displeased Bellerion. The black dragon lowered its body slightly, its scarlet eyes fixed on Viserys.

This was a rare instance of Bellerion resisting Viserys's orders, but in the end it couldn't resist Viserys's insistence and agreed to place the evil stone on its back, because it trusted its companion would not betray it.

Viserys then climbed onto the black dragon's back. Bellerion had been recuperating on Lorasorn Island for several days, and although his wounds had not yet fully healed, they were almost completely healed. He carried Viserys as he rose from the ground, spread his enormous wings, and let out a deafening roar, preparing to spread his wings and fly away.

Meanwhile, in the distance, the White Walkers, who had been silently watching the black dragon and Viserys for several days, saw Viserys take away the oily black stone. The icy blue flames in their eyes flickered slightly, as if they were about to make a move, but in the end, they suppressed their impulses.

"He flew away!"

"We missed this opportunity!"

Amidst the vast horde of corpses, Benjen saw Viserys riding away on a dragon and stomped his foot, his face showing annoyance.

He had been watching from there for several days, and he kept trying to rush over and reveal his identity to Viserys, but he was stopped by his sister Lyanna.

Lyanna believed that it was too dangerous for her and her brother to be burned to death by the black dragon or killed by other White Walkers before they could even get there.